Note 231 — THE LINGUIST-DAME, THE DUENNA AND THE KING’S SON.
Richard Francis Burton translation · Edition 2
The Pharaoh of the Exodus is popularly supposed by Moslems to have treated his leprosy with baths of babes’ blood, the babes being of the Banú Isráil. The word “Pharaoh” is not without its etymological difficulties. In Josephus פרעה = ⲡⲓ ⲟⲩⲣⲟ = the King. Others suggest ⲡⲓ ⲣⲁ = the sun, which has little weight. Rá, the sun (without article) generally follows the name of the king who is also termed ⲥⲓ ⲣⲁ = son of Ra, ergo not Ra. Harding follows Brugsch Pasha, who proposes “Per’ao” = great house, sublime Porte.